Full Metal Alchemist: The Knowledge Seekers
by Madison Proctor
Summary: Brotherhood seemed to be the end, but what will happens when the Elric brothers search for the truth behind Alchemy? Will they find the knowledge they're looking for or defy God in the process? A continuation of FMA Brotherhood


**Hey guys. It's Madin. Long time. Sorry I abandoned my other fics. I think I'll come back to them eventually, when inspirations hits. And anyone who's waiting on Katea's and my RvB fic-bug Katea please. It's her turn to start the chapter. = w=. Anyways is it apparent I finished the Brotherhood series? I'm doing this fic for fun and though I have a lot of ideas where it could go, I could use some help. -sweatdrop-. I tried to be accurate but don't kill me if I am. This takes place where Brotherhood left off and since they left me wanting for more, it was enough to make me write this chapter? (It's pretty short) Oh yeah so...spoilers if you haven't read it all.**

Xing.

He had felt so weak. The desert was so hot in the crossing, and his mouth was dry in thirst. It was just in time too. The caravan of Ishvalans that had taken him across was running out of supplies, and they hadn't eaten in two days. Not that that was a problem. It was nothing like the hunger he had experienced a couple years before when Edward, his brother, had pulled his body out of the truth. Closing his eyes, the first memories out of that armored body seemed so unreal, like a dream he had once had long ago. The wind...how soft it felt as it caressed his...skin. That was right... He had skin. It was disorienting to see through two, real watery eyes after his sight being veiled in metal for so long. He had to squint, for the first time in a long time, at the harsh sunlight that baked the Amestrian sky. Smoke...and blood. It filled his nostrils for the completely, and he crinkled his nose at the memory. And hunger...how the pain. And thirst. He had been away from his body for so long that he had forgotten the taste of his own tongue...dry and foul. The hunger clawed at his stomach, so ravenous that he thought he could eat a whole horse. It was such a pained feeling...and yet he was thankful for that reality. It had meant that they had made it. It had meant they had survived the truth...and saved Amestria.

Edward had sacrificed his own portal, forsaking his alchemy with him to bring Al back into the real world. He couldn't believe his brother. It wasn't fair, and yet he couldn't escape that reality. Edward had sacrificed so much already, his arm...his leg...and now his own alchemy...and yet...he couldn't ask for different. All he could do was thank his brother in every way possible by living the life they needed to leave.

The sins of Amestris and Xerxes being reversed in that cataclysmic battle two years ago, and after all of that, it had been time to go home to Winry and Pinako. He couldn't say that those couple years of peace hadn't done the both of them good. It was nice to have the only real troubles was maintenance around the house, and hearing Winry and Edward scream at each other. It was time where they could celebrate the lives they had saved...and truly begin to mourn for their father and mother. Despite everything, he truly enjoyed that peace they had shared as a family. Yet it was not enough.

How selfish the two of them were...selfish because they could not fill their thirst for knowledge though it had led them astray before. But it was time. A short life-time of war had made the boys restless, and they were ready to explore the world again. They had realized from their friends from Xing, that there was still so much of this world they had yet to explore...so much more. It would kill Winry and Granny, but...somehow they couldn't live their lives trapped in this homebody life. Though the countryside was beautiful, the days had been getting longer and longer, and it was getting harder and harder to stay put in that tiny town of Risembool. With all they had seen and done, how could they let their talents go wastefully...The knowledge they craved was out there...

They had discussed it for nights beforehand before letting Granny and Winry knew, but they had figured it out anyways. And like always, they understood. Ed wouldn't say it, but Al knew it pained him to leave Granny and Winry...but it also pained him to lose his alchemy. Still...they had a theory. It was a long shot but...just like May and Scar were able to use different types of alchemy, who knew what other types of alchemy could be out there? It might have been useless, but they both had to try, if for nothing else, to help Amestris in the best way they knew how.

"Al," a voice brought him back to reality. "Hey, you doin' alright kid."

The voice belonged to Zampano, a man with brown hair and glasses. His skin was fair, compared to his companion Jelso, but both of their motives were the same. Transformed into chimera to be Kimblee's soldiers, they both wished to return to their orginal bodies and hopefully one day return to their families alive. It was people like them that still made their search for knowledge vital.

Both of his companions looked in awe in varying concern. Al was still not used to his new body, and they hoped that the lack of food wasn't already getting to him. His eyes were glazing over with either boredom or hunger...they couldn't tell. Either way it had been apparent he had a lot on his mind for the past couple of days.

"I'm fine," Alphonse responded with a weak grin. "Sorry for worrying you."

They were a small caravan made up of 10 people including themselves. The Ishvalans had come to know this desert well after the fall of their Holy City, and some had found a bit of business guiding travelers safely to Xing and back, among with some of their goods as well. "Well the Ishvalans are saying that we're headed to the edge of the desert. Xing is close," Jelso said, on a camel a little farther than Zampano. "Which is good, because I was afraid we'd have to go another sleepless night. These kinds of schedules aren't something I'm used to."

Al had to agree. They were traveling mostly at night to escape the dangerous desert sun, getting up in the evening and going to sleep just before dusk. None of them were much of night owls, so the ride was tough on all of them."That's a relief?" Al nodded. He breathed in the dry desert air, but could now tell that it was cooling in the sunset.. His turban that was once drenched with sweat was dry and stiff. His skin was reddening with a slight burn, but he ignored these sensations, as uncomfortable as they were. Having a body did have it's drawbacks, but nonetheless, denying this gift of life would be insulting his brother's sacrifice.

"How do you think Ed's doing?" Zampano asked. "You did say he was heading West right?"

"Yeah," Al said looking down. It had been the first time they had traveled apart. It was concerning especially since Edward didn't exactly have his alchemy to protect him anymore. He had left early, saying his goodbyes to Pinako and Winry and departed to find both Zampano and Jelso. Edward, however, decided to stay a little while longer. He told Al that he wanted to discuss something with Winry and 'take care of things'. Al smiled fondly at the thought of his childhood friend. It was not a matter of if the two knuckleheads would finally be together but when.

Something changed in his brother the day they came home. Maybe it started earlier, he wasn't sure, but Ed saw Winry as more than just a girl now. He could see that Edward was starting to look at Winry like a man looked at a woman, the way that Colonel Mustang would look at Captain Riza sometimes. He knew that Edward wanted to confess, and had overheard a couple of conversations he had discussed with himself at his mother and father's grave, but knowing his brother, he'd probably chicken out. "Creta and Aerugo still don't hold very good ties with Amestris. I fear for him...but I have faith he'll be alright."

"Will he?" Pelso said skeptically. "No offense to you, Al but he ain't one that treads lightly, if you know what I mean." He ended with a chuckle.

"It would have been safer for him to go to Xing. We're sure to have good ties with them, even if Edward does manage to insult them." The two of them laughed heartily at their little joke.

Al wanted to argue, but looked down. They were right. He still had his alchemy and much more, he was a much better fighter than Ed. Not to mention, he didn't exactly have his auto-mail in his right arm. "Well brother insisted that-"

"I'm sure he let you take this way so you could see that Xingese princess again, right?" Zampano teased, getting really close to Al's flushing face.

Al's slightly sunburned face had turned completely red in embarassment, and he pushed away the boar-man's face quickly. "Well of course I'd like to see her again," he said looking away carefully. "She's a nice girl and I promised that I would come visit again and-"

"Don't sweat it kid," Zampano laughed heartily while slapping his shoulder. "We get it. No need to explain it to us."

Al tried to protest, but it only made his two companions laugh even harder.

Suddenly the caravan stopped and they had to pull the reigns quickly in order not to run into the Ishvalans leading them "Gentlemen," the Ishvalan leader turned back to look at the trio with a smile. "Prepare yourselves. Soon, we enter Xing."

**Sorry for shortness. I have an idea of what to do next with Edward but am unsure of what Creto and Aerugo is like, but I'll try my best. Any ideas you want to fling by me feel free to do so. Thanks again.**

**-Madin**


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